The Neil Williams Cricket Academy (NWCA) is one of eight regional groups which has accessed funding through the West Indies Cricket Boardâs (WICB) Grassroots Grant Scheme.{{more}}
The NWCA is the first Vincentian group to be a recipient under the programme, which had its first distribution earlier this year.
The grant will assist the NWCA in carrying out its programme of developing, in a holistic manner, the 60-plus cricketers currently enrolled.
Reports are that the funding has come at an opportune time, as the Academy was going through a transition due to lack of funds.
The major funding comes from monthly fees paid by students and donations from business houses, with parents chipping in with snacks and refreshments.
Apart from the rudiments of Cricket, the participants are taught dining etiquette and anger management.
The Academy, a non- profit organisation, the first of its kind here, was set up under the guidance of Alfred Bynoe and the late Neil Williams, the former Windwards, Middlesex and England bowler.
It was launched at the Arnos Vale Playing Field, on April 9, 2005.
Assisting Bynoe and Williams in the initial stages were Kenroy Peters and Olanzo Jackson. Bynoe, at the time, was a Development Officer of the WICB.
The Academy was named in Williamsâ honour, when he died on March 27, 2006, at the age of 43.
Since its inception, the academy has produced several players of note, with the most prominent being current senior St. Vincent and the Grenadines player and Windwards and West Indies Under-19 player Sunil Ambris.
Also emerging from the bowels of the Academy is present senior national player Atticus Browne, who is a former St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Windwards Under-19 player, and who made his debut earlier this year for the Windwards Senior team to the regional four-day competition.
Other players from the NWCA have gone on to represent St. Vincent and the Grenadines at the Under-15 level.
The NWCA set up sees Garth Saunders as President, Deidre Anthony – Treasurer, Brenda James – Secretary and Garth Williams – Committee Member.
The Neil Williams Academy has, as its Head Coach, Ian Allen, with former St. Vincent and the Grenadines middle order batsman Vibert Bute and Kentish Jacobs as his assistants.
At present, the Academy conducts its coaching programme each Saturday, from 9:00 am to 12 noon, for young cricketers under the age of 18 years, at the Arnos Vale Playing Field.
Additionally, the NWCA has a team in the National Lotteries Authority First Division of the national Cricket Competition. (RT)
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